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The Carolina Hurricanes took a chance on Evgeny Kuznetsov at the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline. The veteran forward was looking for a fresh start away from the Washington Capitals. And Carolina believed he could help their playoff push. He left Carolina following the 2024 postseason, and after a year away, he is seeking a potential return to the league in 2025 NHL Free Agency.
Kuznetsov had a fine season back in his native Russia. He signed a four-year contract with SKA Saint Petersburg last summer. And he went on to score 37 points in 39 games. Following the 2024-25 KHL season, Kuznetsov terminated his contract with SKA. As a result, he is free to sign with any team in any league.
At this time, he remains unsigned. In saying this, it's clear where he wants to play. The former Stanley Cup champion is hoping to return to the NHL in time for the 2025-26 season.
“Every day I talk to two or three clubs, feel out what’s going on, some signings. [Kuznetsov] is now motivated to come back, to show what he is capable of. We need to guess with the coach and the team. It’s not about money. So I think there will be a team,” his agent Shumei Babev said, as translated by Chris Cerullo of Russian Machine Never Breaks.
With this in mind, here are two teams that could be fantastic fits for the returning veteran playmaker as 2025 NHL Free Agency winds to a close.
Evgeny Kuznetsov makes sense for Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks missed the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs in what proved to be a rather disappointing season. Vancouver won the Pacific Division in 2023-24. And they nearly made the 2024 Western Conference Finals. In the end, they entered NHL Free Agency this summer with some very tough questions to answer.
They answered their biggest question when they re-signed Brock Boeser on a seven-year contract. Unfortunately, they couldn't retain all of their top free agents. Pius Suter joined the St. Louis Blues on a two-year contract in NHL Free Agency. And this is an outcome Vancouver certainly hoped to avoid.
There are already questions surrounding Elias Pettersson as a top-line center. Beyond him, though, this team lacks quality center depth. Filip Chytil has struggled with injury, while Teddy Bleuger and Aatu Raty are better suited for roles down the lineup.
Evgeny Kuznetsov gives the Canucks the ability to play valuable middle-six minutes. It's hard to know whether he can produce offensively in a middle-six role. However, there are elements of his special playmaking ability still there. And he is a low-risk move for Vancouver at this point in the offseason.
Bruins could use middle-six depth
The Boston Bruins also missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2025. However, they missed much more comfortably than the Canucks. The Bruins spent the season sliding down the standings. And they eventually sold at the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline.
This summer, Boston added some talent to the roster. Viktor Arvidsson came over through a trade with the Edmonton Oilers. Additionally, Tanner Jeannot signed a five-year contract in NHL Free Agency. However, neither of these moves addresses the team's biggest need: center depth.
Kuznetsov is certainly not the player he used to be. And a team in Boston's position may want to prioritize its younger talent. However, the Bruins could use some veteran leadership. Kuznetsov could certainly provide that throughout the 2025-26 season.
